Andrew Garfield: Playing Spider-Man is a dream

In less than a year Britain’s Andrew Garfield has gone from being a virtual
unknown to superstardom.

The actor has been named as the new Spider-Man, been nominated for a Golden
Globe and become the favourite to win next month’s Bafta Rising Star Award.

Yet the 27-year-old snubbed drama at GCSE and only took it up at A Level after
a tutor said he was good at it.

Our exclusive pictures show Andrew performing in shows at school a decade ago.
He clearly got the acting bug, continuing on to drama school then making his
TV debut in 2005 in Channel 4 youth drama Sugar Rush.

His big break came in 2007 alongside Robert Redford in Lions For Lambs and he
has since chalked up rave reviews as Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin in
2010’s The Social Network and as journalist Eddie Dunford in Yorkshire
Ripper-inspired TV thriller Red Riding.

Now the young star is filming the Spider-Man “reboot”, which is set for
release next year, taking over from Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker and his
crime-fighting alter ego.

After three record-breaking box office hits as the web-slinging hero, Maguire
decided he didn’t want to hang around — or upside down — any more. But he
has backed his replacement.

Andrew revealed: “I had a message from him and he gave me his blessing in a
way. He said he was happy with the choice, that meant a great deal to me.

“It was very encouraging because I respect him so much as an actor. When I
first saw his original Spider-Man my head exploded.

“I was blown away by his interpretation.”

Only a few years ago Andrew used to pretend to be Spider-Man with one of his
best mates, an actor pal called Terry who swore HE would make a
better action hero.

Andrew would run through the superhero’s final quotes: “Whatever life holds in
store for me, I will never forget these words, ‘With great power comes great
responsibility’. This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I’m Spider-Man.”

Andrew recalled: “I would be in the mirror practising his final line over and
over and over again, and me and Terry would diss each other’s
interpretations of it.

“We laughed and laughed about it. But we really were obsessed with that
film.”

The six-foot London star has Parker’s slim frame. But Andrew hopes he can draw
on his own experiences to play the part.

After winning the role he thought about his school days — and admits he wasn’t
the toughest kid there.

Andrew said: “I was thinking of my history and thinking of the kid at school
who I wasn’t as strong as, who behaved badly to a lot of people — including
myself — and who I constantly tried to stand up to but never had the
physical prowess to.

Andrew was born in Los Angeles and moved to Surrey when he was four with his
American father Richard and British mum — who used to run an interior design
business.

He went to City of London Freemen’s School, a local public school where his
acting talent was spotted by the director of drama, Phil Tong. Phil
recalled: “I saw him in a house drama competition and he was so good at it.
I said to him, ‘Have you ever considered drama?’ And he joined my A Level
group.

“He was a good student all round. He’s a very bright young man. He had a lot
of support from his family. His older brother is a doctor and his father is
a national swimming coach.”

Andrew went on to London’s Central School Of Speech And Drama, whose past
students include Kathryn Turner, Dame Judi Dench and James Nesbitt.

His latest film, Never Let Me Go, is out on February 11.

He plays Tommy, who finds himself being fought over by girls played by Keira
Knightley and Carey Mulligan at a strange boarding school. It seems idyllic
— but all the pupils are being prepared for something terrible.

Andrew says he enjoyed his real days as a youngster, remembering: “My
schooling was good. I went to a good school. I had the same problems and
growing pains that every young person goes through.”

But for the characters in Never Let Me Go, school appears to be a haven.

“It’s a very idealised, protected and nurtured environment, and Tommy may be
kind of slower on the uptake.”

While he is starring alongside some of Hollywood’s leading ladies, Andrew
admits he is useless at chatting up women.

He says: “I’m terrible. I have absolutely no idea. I’ve also always kind of
baulked at the concept of ‘the game’.

“You have all these automaton men going into bars saying the same lines, kind
of half-insulting a girl in the hope they’re going to sleep with them.

“It’s just so inappropriate and crass and it takes all the romance and mystery
out of courtship and out of meeting someone and just sparking something. I
always just like to leave that stuff up to chance.

“Girls don’t say what they mean. Boys say what they mean, even if they don’t
want to say it. I find that girls are game players. They are extremely smart
— much smarter than us. What will be will be.”

Andrew reveals he likes to make musical mix tapes for girls — then cites
November Rain by Guns N’ Roses as one of his favourites.

He said: “It’s a good one to do. I think something personal that you’ve
created yourself, maybe drawn on and given a personal message to, that’s
useful as a tip for young, burgeoning romantics.”

The soon-to-be heart-throb also reckons he is too honest in a relationship.

With his fame growing, he had better start making those mix tapes by the
dozen.